State College Finally has Empanadas

Central PA finally gets a little bit of latin flavor.

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The empanada Lord has finally heard our prayers. Barranquero Cafe, also known as my latest obsession, opened its doors to public this past month and is already becoming the new go-to place for the hispanic community, coffee lovers, and every empanada connoisseur out there.

As an international student from Venezuela, I have always been aware of the need of Latin food in downtown State College (no, Chipotle and California Tortilla while great, don’t count sorry) so as soon as I found out about the existence of this place I had to try it.

As I entered the charming cafe with really high expectations, I was afraid to be let down by the empanadas. But to my surprise I was served crunchy and tasty, perfectly-seasoned beef empanadas that made me want to go back the next day. The pan de queso was also the perfect, cheesy and sweet snack to accompany your coffee.

Photo by Oriana Abreu

On top of serving traditional Colombian food, Barranquero has brought to State College the taste of original Colombian coffee. And for those of you that aren’t fond of fancy macchiatos or lattes, they serve simple cafe con lechetoo.

Additionally, the cafe is pretty spacious, and has a great atmosphere with original decor. Definitely the type of place you could pull a study session in until you get kicked out because it’s closing.

Photo courtesy of Barranquero Cafe on Facebook

The official grand-opening will be on April 20th, and will count with free giveaways. There will also be coffee pairings, and the suppliers of Café Jesus Martin will be joining us all the way from Colombia. So if you are interested in trying really good authentic coffee, eating empanadas, or are just struggling through the end of the semester and want free food, you are welcome to join Barranquero in its official debut in State College.